Electric contact device



Sept. 6, 1960 N. SCHEFFER 2,951,916

ELECTRIC CONTACT DEVICE Filed May 28, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 nnnn A INVENTOR NICOLAAS SCHEFFER AGENT Sept. 6, 1960 N. SCHEFFER 2,951,916

ELECTRIC CONTACT DEVICE Filed May 28, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR NICOLAAS SCHEFF ER AGEN United States Patent ELECTRIC CONTACT DEVICE Nicolaas Scheller, Hilversum, Netherlands, assignor to North American Philips Company, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 28, 1957, Ser. No. 662,042

Claims priority, application Netherlands June 28, 1956 9 Claims. (Cl. 20016) The present invention relates to electric contact devices. More particularly, the invention relates to electric contact devices having a plate-shaped contact-operating member which is guided by a pin extending through an aperture of the member and transversely thereof, which pin supports one end of a spring acting upon the member and has an abutment co-acting with the member, this member being maintained by spring force in a rest position with respect to a contact to be operated by movement of the member.

In known contact devices of the above-described kind, the contact-operating member is held on a collar constituted by a wider portion of the pin by means of a compression spring, the pin itself being maintained in the rest position by means of a separate spring. In the rest position, the member lies at a large distance from two fixed contacts arranged on each side of the pin at substantially the same height, for which contacts the contact-operating member constitutes an electric through-connection in the displaced position of the pin. Such a contact device has the advantage that the contact pressure is determined only by the force of the spring co-acting with the operating member. I

The object of the invention is to provide a construction which, as compared with the known construction, constitutes a simplification, resulting in reduced manufacturing cost, while this construction furthermore affords several new possibilities.

According to the invention, the spring holding the contact-operating member in the rest position is the spring maintaining the member against the abutment connected to the pin. For this purpose, there is arranged, laterally of the pin, an abutment which co-acts with the contactoperating member in the rest position thereof and which upon relative displacement of said abutment and the pin in the direction of length of the said pin holds said contact-operating member and causes the said member to tip about the said abutment on the pin. The tipping movement constitutes the contact-operating movement of the member, the amount of play of the pin in the aperture of said contact-operating member being suflicient to enable the said contact-operating member to perform the tipping movement.

The expression contact-operating member is defined, for the purposes of the present invention, in a very wide sense and is not limited to a member which itself is current-conveying or carries an electric contact, such as is the case in the known types of contact devices. The contact-operating member may be coupled, for example, with a more or less extensive system of levers set into movement when said member is tipped. Such tipping may cause mobile contacts carried by the lever system to contact fixedly arranged contacts which in this coaction limit the movement of the levers and hence that of the contact-operating member.

The movement of the contact-operating member is preferably stopped by a plurality of fixed contacts simul-,

Patented Sept. 6, 1960 ICC Z taneously, which are arranged in a manner such that at least one lies on each side of the plane transverse of said contact-operating member and passing through the stop already co-acting with the said member in the rest position and the point of application of the spring.

In one advantageous embodiment of the contact device of the present invention, the contact area between the contact-operating member and the abutment connected to the pin has a position such that the spring engages the contact-operating member between the contact area and the point of co-operation between the abutment and said member. In this case, use is preferably made of a second stop in the form of a fixed contact, which in the rest position, together with the first stop, takes up the torque which the spring exerts upon the contact-operating member with respect to the stop connected to the pin. In fact, this is a simple arrangement for obtaining fixation of a member free from play in a central posi tion in which arrangement the two stops determining the rest position also fulfill the function of fixed parts of break contacts.

In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect, it will now be described more fully, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a push button switch of the present invention in the rest position;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 taken along the line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Fig. l in the depressed position;

'Fig. 4 is a side-view of another embodiment of a push button switch of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Fig. 4 taken along the line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side-view of another embodiment of a COD.- tact device of the present invention;

'Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Fig. 6 taken along the line VII-VII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side view of a portion of still another embodiment of a contact device of the present invention having an operating rod in the central position;

Fig. 9 is a side view of the portion of the embodiment of Fig. 8 at the moment when upon movement from the central position the contact is opened;

Fig. 10 is a side view of the portion of the embodiment of Fig. 8 at the moment when the contact is completely open; and

Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram in perspective of the contact-operating member 91 and the contact plate 95 of the embodiment of Figs. 8, 9, and 10.

Figs. 8 to 11 relates to an operating rod maintained free from play in the central position, whereby upon longitudinal movement of the rod out of the central position after a limited stroke an electrical contact is opened.

In the push-button switch shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a pin 1, preferably of insulating material, is guided at its lower extremity in an aperture 2 provided in an insulating, lower frame plate 3. The upper extremity of the pin 1 carries a cap 4 which is guided in a corresponding aperture 5 of an upper frame plate 6. Between the frame plates 3 and 6, the pin 1 is provided with a wider portion 7, on which an annular contact-operating member 10 is pushed by means of a compression spring 9 surrounding the pin and pushing 01f itself against a collar 8 thereon.

Three fixed contacts 12, 13 and 14 are circularly arranged, evenly spaced around the pin 1 by suitable means such as rivets or flanged sleeves 11 fixed in the plate 3. The contacts 12, 13 and 14 are constituted by metal r i V 3 strips, of which the end adjacent the pin 1 co-acts or can co-act with the contact-operating member 10, while the other end serves for connection to supply wires. The end of each of the fixed contacts which co-acts with the contact-operating member 10 is.rectangularly' bent and extends in parallel with the pin 1. The bent piece 15 of the fixed contact 12 has a length greater than that of the corresponding pieces 16 and 17 of the contacts 13 and 14, respectively.

In the rest position shown in Fig. -l, the pin 1 occupies a position 'in which the contact-operating member 10 engages the collar 7 on the pin 1 'in a flat position. The downward movement of the side of the contact-operating member 10 is limited by the end 15 of contact 12. The upward movement of the contact-operating member 16 is limited by the co-operation between a collar 18 of the lower end of the cap 4 and the upper frame plate 6. If, as shown, the contact-operating member 10 bears on the end 15, there is -a small spacing between the collar 18 and the frame plate 6.

If the pin 1 is pushed down by pushing the cap 4, the contact-operating member 10 is checked on one side by the portion 15 of fixed contact 12 which fulfills the function of a stop, so that said member is tipped about that portion of the collar 7 which is remote from the stop 15. Such a tipping movement is possible due to a sufficiently large central aperture 19 of the contact-operating member 10. When, as a result of the tipping movement, the contact-operating member 10 contacts the vertical ends 16 and 17 of the fixed contacts 13 and 14, respectively, further movement of said member is stopped whereas the pin 1 may continue to move until its collar 7 abuts the frame plate 3. V The depressed position is shown in Fig. 3.

In the depressed position, in which the position of the contact-operating member 10 is clearly determined by virtue of said member resting on the extremities 15, 16 and 17 of the three fixed contacts, the contact pressure is determined only by the force of the spring 9.

When the push button 4 is released, the spring 9 pushes the pin 1 up, the contact-operating member 10 remaining in the tipped position until it is reached by the collar 7. The spring continues to push the pin up and the contact-operating member 10 is tipped back until said member is engaged by the collar 7 in the flat position, the initial rest position of Fig. 1 thus being restored.

The contract-operating member 10 may consist wholly of metal, in which event it may electrically connect all three fixed contacts 12, 13 and 14. The contact-operating member 10 may alternatively consist of insulating material with a metal coating or metal strip on the surface adjacent the collar 7 which lies opposite the ends 16 and 17 of the contacts 13 and 14, respectively. In this case, only the contacts 13 and 14 are electrically connected in the depressed position of the button 4. In order to avoid, in this case, rotation of the contact-operating member 10 about the pin 1, the extremity 15 may be provided with a narrow extension which extends into a corresponding recess provided in said member.

The difference in height of the ends of the fixed con- I t-act parts 15, 16 and 17 determines the contact aperture in the rest position and thus must have a minimum value dependent upon the particular use of the contact device.

While only make-contacts occur in the push-button switch shown in Figs. 1 to 3, Figs. 4 and illustrate a push-button switch which also has a break-contact, that is, a contact which is opened when the key is depressed. In the switch shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the key is constituted by a flat metal Strip- 40 having a punched tag 41, the edge of which is engaged by a contact-operating member 42, likewise strip-shaped, as a result of the pressure of .a spring 43. The compression spring 43 is positioned with preliminary tension between the contact-operating member 42 and an insulating button 44 fixed on the up- 4 per extremity of the key strip 40. The key strip 40 and the button 44 are guided in a similar manner as the push button of Figs. 1 to 3 by apertures in an upper and a lower insulating frame plate, indicated in Fig. 4 by 45 and 46, respectively.

The contact-operating member 42 has an elongated aperture 47, through which the key 40 can move and which in the direction transverse of the surface of said key has a width sufilcient to permit tipping of said member with respect to the said key.

On the side of the key 40 which is remote from the tag 41 punched out of said key, there is arranged on the frame plate 46 an abutment 48 for the contact-operating member 42.

Fixed electrical contacts 49 and 50 are arranged on the side of the key adjacent the tag41 bilaterally of the contact-operating member 42. The contacts 49 and 50, which are spaced apart in the direction of length of the key 45, are each constituted by two separate parts, which may be compared with the contacts 13 and 14 of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3. Said two parts are each located on either side of a plane passing through the abutment 48 and the point of application of the spring 43 on the contact-operating member 42 which plane is transverse to said member (this plane being the planeof the drawing of Fig. 4).

When the key 40 is not moved, it occupies a rest position in which the contacvoperating member 42 engages the abutments 48 and 49, as shown in Fig. 4. When the key 41) is pushed down, the contact-operating member 42 performs a tipping movement, so that said member engages the contact 50. If, subsequently, the key 40 is released, said key and the contact-operating member 42 return to their rest positions.

Consequently, when the button 44 is depressed, at first the connection between the contact 49 and the contactoperating member 42 is interrupted and then contact is established with the contact 50. If the contact-operating member 42 is constituted of electrically conductive material, when it is in the rest position an electrical-connection is established between the two parts of contact 49 and between these parts and the stop 48. In the depressed position, the contact-operating member 42 establishes a connection between the two parts of contact 50 and also between these parts and the abutment 48.

The contact-operating member 42 may consist of insulating material, for example of synthetic organic material, the extremity located between the contacts 49 and 50 being of conducting material, for example due to a small metal cap being placed on this extremity, which cap in the rest position connects the two parts of the contact 49 and in the depressed position connects the two parts of the contact 50.

Figs. 6 and 7 show an electromagnetic relay in which an L-shaped yoke 61, connected to a core 60, supports a pivotable armature 62, which may be attracted by the free end of the core surrounded by a coil 63.

A pin 64 is secured to the long limb of the yoke, which pin is transverse thereof and surrounded by a compression spring 65. The compression spring 65 is positioned, at one extremity, on a nut 66 which is screwed on the pin 64 and thus has an adjustable location and, at its othe extremity, on a plate-shaped contact operating member 67 which is approximately transverse of the pin 64 and has an aperture 68 through which this pin extends.

One end of the contact-operating member 67 is provided with a spherical cam "69, with which the portion of the armature 62 extending in the direction of the long limb of the yoke can co-operate.

Fixed on the yoke is a small supporting block 70 which 1 by means of a bifurcated end 7-1 embraces the contactoperating member 67 on either side and thus limits the l movement of said member transversely of the plane of drawing. The supporting block 70 also carries a spherical cam'72 which co-acts with the contact-operating member 67 and which lies on the other side of the pin 64 with respect to the cam 69.

That end of the contact-operating member 67 which does not co-act with the armature 62, is U-shaped and each limb 73 of the U supports a system of balancing levers having mobile contacts 74.

Each mobile contact 74 is constituted by a wire bent to form a small ring, preferably having a surface of rare metal, which is pivotally supported by one extremity of a spindle 75. Each spindle 75 is pivotally supported by a coupling strip 77 held at the center of the spindle by means of spacing rings 76. The coupling strips 77 are each connected'in an articulated manner to one extremity of a spindle 78, which in turn is pivotally supported at its center by one limb 73 of the contactoperating member 67.

The fixed electrical contacts co-acting with the wire rings 74 and each time being connected by pairs are constituted by ends 80, provided with rare metal, of a plurality of wires transverse of the plane of said wire rings. The wires are maintained in position in a block of synthetic organic material 82 secured to the yoke 61. Four separate fixed contacts 80 are associated with each of the wire rings 74, which in the direction transverse of their surfaces are enclosed between an end surface of the block 82 of synthetic material and a transparent plate 83 which covers the contact space. In the rest position of the armature 62 and hence also the rest position of the contact-operating member 67, each ring 74 connects two of said contacts, while in the attracted position of the armature the other two contacts are electrically connected.

In the rest position, when the armature 62 does not or substantially does not exert any force upon the contactoperating member 67, the latter adjusts itself in a manner such that the torque exerted by the spring 6 5 with respect to the cam 72 is received by the upper pairs of the fixed contacts 80 associated with the wire rings 74, which pairs of contacts then co-act with said wire rings. Since the parts of the balancing lever system connecting the wire rings 74 to the contact-operating member 67 are relatively articulated and said contact-operating member is supported at one point by the cam 72, in the rest position all wire rings 74 engage the upper pair of the associated contacts 80. The contact pressure, which is determined by the pressure of the spring 65, is then substantially the same for all contacts.

When an electric current is passed through the coil 63, so that the armature 62 is attracted by the core, then due to the cooperation between the armature and the cam 69, at first the contact-operating member 67 is tipped about the cam 72 until all wire rings 74 have engaged the lower pair of the associated fixed contacts 80. The contact-operating member 67 is lifted from the cam 72 due to further movement of the armature. In this position, the contact pressure between the wire rings 74 and the fixed contacts 80 is likewise determined by the compressive force of spring 65. This force may be adjusted in a simple manner by displacement of the nut 66.

Figs. 8 to 11 serve to explain an arrangement for fixing the central position of an operating rod 90 to be moved in the direction of its length. The rod 90 displaces a member (not shown), for example a control or regulating member of a machine or installation. The rod 90, which is guided in a manner (not shown), extends with a little play through an aperture 94 of an elongated contact-operating member 91, which extends more or less transverse of the rod and which is supported on a stop 92 connected to the rod and which is subject to the tension of a spring 93, one end of which is connected to the rod.

The contact-operating member 91 carries a contact plate 95, which has a limited mobility with respect thereto and which is constituted by a metallic strip'rectangularly bent several times, which extends with a narrow portion 96 through a recess 97 provided in each end of the contact-operating member 91. The length of the narrow portions 96 is greater than the thickness of the contact-operating member 91, so that the contact plate 95 can make a small angle with the contact-operating member 91. Beside the operating rod 90, two abutments 98 and 99 are fixedly positioned on either side of the contact-operating member 91, in a manner such that they can receive the torque exerted upon said member by the spring 93 and the abutment stop 92 connected to the rod.

If the operating rod is not moved it occupies the central position free from play as shown in Fig. 8. At this rest position, the contact-operating member 91 adjusts itself in a manner such that the portion of the contact plate extending along the side of the contactoperating member remote from the abutment 92 is urged against the abutment 98and the end of the contact plate located on the other side of the contact-operating member 90 is urged against the abutment 99. The contact plate 95 in this position establishes an electric connection of the two abutments 98 and 99 which are formed as fixed electrical contacts and can be included in an electric circuit.

If the operating rod 90 is moved out of the described rest position, for example to the right as shown in Fig. 9, the contact-operating member 91 tips about the abutment 92. The contact plate 95 then initially retains its original position. When the contact-operating member 91 at one end or the other (this is dependent upon the direction of movement of the rod 90) has displaced itself along the upper or lower narrow portion of the contact plate 95 (Fig. 9), said contact plate follows this movement when said contact-operating member is tipped further and is thus lifted from the contact 99 (Fig. 10) or, with opposite direction of movement of the rod 90, from the contact 98, so that the electric connection between the two contacts is interrupted. The connection between these contacts is thus interrupted when the rod 90 is moved beyond a given distance from the central position and hence only after an initial displacement from this central position.

While the invention has been described by means of specific examples and in specific embodiments, I do not wish to be limited thereto, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric contact device comprising a pin having an abutment thereon, means supporting said pin in an axially movable position, a contact-operating member having an aperture therein, said pin being positioned through said aperture, a spring supported by said pin in a manner whereby said spring normally urges said contact-operating member against said abutment with said contact-operating member initially non-tilted in relation to the said pin, said spring being adapted to return said pin to its initial position after axial movement thereof, said contact-operating member having at least a portion extending farther from the axis of said pin than said abutment, a contact arm fixedly positioned in proximity to said contact-operating member in a manner whereby said contact arm normally engages said extending portion of said contact-operating member, said contact arm being positioned to maintain said extending portion in contact with the said contact arm whereas said spring is positioned to urge said contact-operating member in a direction whereby the side of said contact-operating member adjacent said contact arm is maintained at said contact arm and the other side of the said contact-operating member is urged in a direction whereby the said contact-operating member is tilted at an angle to said pin upon axial movement of said pin, and another contact arm fixedly positioned in proximity to said contactoperating member in a manner whereby said other contact arm contacts said contact-operating member upon a predetermined amount of tilting .of the said contactoperating member.

2. An electric contact device comprising a pin having spaced abutments thereon, means supporting said pin in an axially movable position, said supporting means comprising upper and lower supporting plates, a spring coaxially supported on said pin between said spaced abutments, said spring being adapted to return said pin to its initial position after axial movement thereof, a contactoperating member having an aperture therein, said pin being positioned through said aperture in a manner whereby the said contact-operating member is seated on said pin intermediate said spring and one of said spaced abutments and said spring normally urges said contactoperating member against said one abutment, said contact-operating member having at least a portion extending farther from the axis of said pin than the said one abutment, a contact arm fixedly positioned in proximity to said contact-operating member on said lower supporting plate in a manner wherebysaid contact arm normally engages said extending portion of said contact-operating member and maintains contact with the said extending portion upon axial movement of said pin toward said lower supporting plate, said spring being positioned to urge said contact-operating member toward said lower supporting plate whereby the side of said contact-operating member adjacent said contact arm is maintained at a distance from the said lower supporting plate and the other side of the said contact-operating member is urged toward the said lower supporting plate thereby tilting the saidcontact-operating member at an angle to the said lower supporting plate upon axial movement of said pin, and another contact arm fixedly positioned in proximity to said contact-operating member on said lower supporting plate in a manner whereby said other contact arm contacts said other side of said contact-operating member upon a predetermined amount of tilting of the said contact-operating member.

3. An electric contact device comprising a pin having spaced abutments thereon, means supporting said pin in an axially movable position, said supporting means comprising upper and lower supporting plates, a spring axially supported on said pin between said spaced abutments, said spring being adapted to return said pin to its initial position after axial movement thereof, a contactoperating member having an aperture therein, said pin being positioned through said aperture in amanner whereby the said contact-operating member is positioned on said pin intermediate said spring and one of said spaced abutments and said spring normally urges said contactoperating member against said one abutment, said contact-operating member having at least a portion extending farther firom the axis of said pin than the said one abutment, a contact arm fixedly positioned in proximity to said contact-operating member on said lower supporting plate in a manner whereby said contact arm normally engages said extending portion of said contact-operating member and maintains contact with the said extending portion upon axial movement of said pin toward said lower supporting plate, said spring being positioned to urge said contact-operating member toward said lower supporting plate whereby the side of said contact-operating member adjacent said contact arm is maintained at a distance from the said lower supporting plate and the other side of the said contact-operating member is urged toward the said lower supporting plate thereby tilting the said contact-operating member at an angle to the said lower supporting plate, and a pair of other contact arms fixedly positioned in proximity to said contact-open ating member on said lower supporting plate in a manner whereby said other contact arms contact said other side of said contact-operating member upon a predetermined amount of tilting of the said contact-operating member, said other contact arms being positioned with said first-mentioned contact arm substantially circularly around said pin, each of said contact arms being spaced from the others.

4. An electric contact device comprising a pin having spaced abutments thereon, means supporting said pin in an axially movable position, said supporting means comprising upper and lower supporting plates, :1 spring coaxially supported on said pin between said spaced abutments, said spring being adapted to return said pin to its initial position after axial movement thereof, a contactoperating member having an aperture therein, said pin being positioned through said aperture in a manner whereby the said contact-operating member is positioned on said pin intermediate said spring and one of said spaced abutments and said spring normally urges said contactoperating member against said one abutment, said contactoperating member having at least a portion extending farther from the axis of said pin than the said one abutment, a contact arm fixedly positioned in proximity to said contact-operating member on said lower supporting plate in a manner whereby said contact arm normally engages said extending portion of said contact-operating member and maintains contact with the said extending portion upon axial movement of said pin toward said lower supporting plate, said spring being positioned to urge said contact-operating member toward said lower supporting plate whereby the side of said contact-operating member adjacent said contact arm is maintained at a distance from the said lower supporting plate and the other side of the said contact-operating member is urged toward the said lower supporting plate thereby tilting the said contact-operating member at an angle to the said lower supporting plate, another contact arm fixedly positioned in proximity to said contact-operating means on said lower supporting plate in a manner whereby said other contact arm contacts said other side of said contactoperating member upon a predetermined amount of tilting or said contactcperating member, and another contact arm fixedly positioned in proximity to said contactoperating member on said upper supporting plate in a manner whereby said last-mentioned contactvarm normally engages said other side of said contact-operating member and is disengaged from said contact-operating member upon axial movement of said pin toward said lower supporting plate.

5. An electric contact device comprising a pin having an abutment thereon, means supporting said pin in an axial position, said supporting means comprising a lower supporting plate, a contact-operating member having an aperture therein, said pin being positioned through said aperture, a spring coaxially positioned on said pin between said abutment and said lower supporting plate in a manner whereby said spring normally urges said contact operating member against said lower supporting plate with said contact-operating member initially nontilted in relation to the said pin, said spring being adapted to return said pin and said contact-operating member to their initial positions in relation to each other after a relative motion between them, a pivotally supported armature member positioned on said lower supporting plate in proximity with said contact-operating member i a manner whereby said armature member normally con tacts one side of said contact-operating member and maintains contact with said side of said contact-operating member upon movement of said armature member away from the said lower supporting plate, said armature member being positioned to urge said side of said contactoperating member away from said lower supporting plate whereas said spring is positioned to urge said contactoperating member toward said lower supporting plate whereby said side of said contact-operating member is maintained at a distance from the said lower supporting plate and the .other side of the said contact-operating member :is, urged toward the said lower supporting plate 9 thereby tilting the said contact-operating member at an angle to the said lower supporting plate upon movement of said armature member away from the said supporting plate, a plurality of pairs of contact arms fixedly positioned in spaced relationship on an auxiliary member supported by said lower supporting plate, said contact arms being positioned in proximity to said contact-operating member, a plurality of contact levers adapted to contact selected pairs of said contact arms in one position and adapted to contact other pairs of said contact arms in another position, and means coupling said contact levers to said other side of said contact-operating member in a manner whereby said contact levers normally contact said selected pairs of said contact arms and said contact levers contact said other pairs of said contact arms upon a predetermined amount of tilting of the said contact-operating member.

6. An electric contact device comprising a pin having an abutment thereon, means supporting said pin in an axial position, said supporting means comprising a lower supporting plate, a contact-operating member having an aperture therein, said pin being positioned through said aperture, a spring coaxially positioned on said pin between said abutment and said lower supporting plate in a manner whereby said spring normally urges said contact-operating member against said lower supporting plate with said contact-operating member initially nontilted in relation to the said pin, said spring being adapted to return said pin and said contact-operating member to their initial positions in relation to each other after a relative motion between them, a pivotally supported armature member positioned on said lower supporting plate in proximity with said contact-operating member in a manner whereby said armature member normally engages one side of said contact-operating member and maintains contact with said side of said contact-operating member upon movement of said armature member away from the said lower supporting plate, said armature member being positioned to urge said side of said contact-operating member away from said lower supporting plate whereas said spring is positioned to urge said contact-operating member toward said lower supporting plate whereby said side of said contact-operating member is maintained at a distance from the said lower supporting plate and the other side of the said contact-operating member is urged toward the said lower supporting plate thereby tilting the said contact-operating member at an angle to the said lower supporting plate upon movement of said armature member away from the said supporting plate, a plurality of pairs of contact arms fixedly positioned in spaced relationship on an auxiliary member supported by said lower supporting plate, said contact arms extending substantially perpendicularly from said auxiliary member in proximity with said contact-operating member, a plurality of contact levers adapted to contact selected pairs of said contact arms in one position and adapted to contact other pairs of said contact arms in another position, said contact levers being in the EfOIIIl of rings in a plane parallel and adjacent to that of said auxiliary member at the ends adjacent said contact arms, and means coupling said contact levers to said other side of said contact-operating member in a manner whereby the rings of said contact levers normally contact said selected pairs of said contact arms and said rings of said contact levers contact said other pairs of said contact arms upon a predetermined amount of tilting of the said contactoperating member.

7. An electric contact device comprising a pin having spaced abutments thereon, means supporting said pin in an axially movable position, a contact-operating member having an aperture therein, said pin being positioned through said aperture, said contact-operating member being pivotally supported by one of said abutments, a spring coupling the second of said abutments to a point on said contact-operating member in a manner whereby 10 said spring normally urges said contact-operating member against said second abutment, said spring being adapted to return said pin to its initial position after axial movement thereof, said contact-operating member having at least a portion extending farther from the axis of said pin than said one abutment, a contact plate tiltably supported on said contact-operating member, said contact plate having an aperture therein, said pin being positioned through said aperture, a contact arm fixedly positioned in proximity to said contact-operating member and said contact plate in a manner whereby said contact arm normally contacts said contact plate in a portion adjacent said extending portion of said contact-operating member and maintains contact with the said adjacent portion upon axial movement of said pin toward said contact arm, said spring being positioned to urge said contact-operating member and said contact plate in a direction whereby the side of said contact-operating member adjacent said contact arm is maintained at the said contact arm and the other side of said contact-operating member is urged in a direction whereby the said contact-operating member and contact plate are tilted at an angle to said pin upon axial movement of said pin, and another contact arm fixedly positioned in proximity to said contactoperating member in a manner whereby said other contact arm normally contacts the portion of said contact plate adjacent said other side of said contact-operating member and maintains contact with said last-mentioned adjacent portion upon a predetermined amount of tilting of said contact plate with relation to said contactoperating member.

8. An electric contact device comprising a. pin having spaced abutments thereon, means supporting said pin in an axially movable position, a contact-operating member having an aperture therein, said pin being positioned through said aperture, said contact-operating member being pivotally supported by one of said abutments, a spring coupling the second of said abutments to a point on said contact-operating member in a manner whereby said spring normally urges said contact-operating member against said second abutment, said spring being adapted to return said pin to its initial position after axial movement thereof, said contact-operating member having at least a portion extending farther from the axis of said pin than said one abutment, a contact plate tiltably supported on said contact-operating member, said contact plate having an aperture therein, said pin being positioned through said aperture, a contact arm fixedly positioned in proximity to said contact-operating member and said contact plate in a manner whereby said contact arm normally contacts said contact plate in a portion adjacent said extending portion of said contact-operating member and maintains contact with the said adjacent portion upon axial movement of said pin toward said contact arm, said spring being positioned to urge said contact-operating member and said contact plate in a direction whereby the side of said contact-operating member adjacent said contact arm is maintained at the said contact arm and the other side of said contact-operating member is urged in a direction whereby the said contactoperating member and contact plate are tilted at an angle to said pin upon axial movement of said pin, and another contact arm fixedly positioned in proximity to said contact-operating member in a manner whereby said other contact arm normally contacts the portion of said contact plate adjacent said other side of said contact-operating member and engages said last-mentioned adjacent portion upon a predetermined amount of tilting of said contact plate with relation to said contact-operating member and disengages said last-mentioned adjacent portion upon axial movement of said pin in a direction away from said first-mentioned contact arm.

9. An electric contact device comprising a pin having an abutment thereon, means supporting said pin in an axial position, a contact-operating member having an 1 I aperture therein, said pin being positioned through said aperture, aspring supported by said pin in a manner whereby said spring normally urges said contact-operating member against said abutment with said contact-operating member initially non-tilted in relation to the said pin, said spring being adapted to return said pin and said contact-operating member to their initial positions in relation to' each other'after a relative motion between them, said contact-operating member having at least a portion extending farther from the axis of said pin than said abutment, a contact arm positioned in proximity to said contact-operating member in a manner whereby said contact arm normally engages said extending portion of said contact-operating member, said contact arm being positioned to maintain said extending portion in contact with the said contact arm whereas said spring is positioned to urge said contact-operating member in a direction whereby the side of said contact-operating member adjacent said contact arm is maintained at said contact arm and the other side of the said contact-operating memher is urged in a direction whereby the said contact-operating member is tilted at an angle to said pin upon relative movement between said pin and the said contact- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,004,005 Ferguson Sept. 26, 1911 2,134,448 Knos Oct. 25, 1938 2,360,128 Hausler Oct. 10, 1944 2,671,836 Anger Mar. 9, 1954 2,695,939 Filliette Nov. 30, 1954 2,720,563 Williams Oct. 11, 1955 2,779,836 Williams Jan. 29, 1957 

